Tots get early start to healthy lessons
STAFF at a South Wales pre-school are helping to give young tots the healthiest possible start by taking part in a prestigious national scheme.
Cylch Meithrin Cynwyd Sant is on track to become the first Welsh-language pre-school setting in Bridgend county to complete the Healthy and Sustainable Pre-School Scheme.
Funded by the Welsh Government and co-ordinated by Bridgend County Borough Council’s childcare team in partnership with Public Health Wales, the scheme covers several aspects of health aimed at improving the wellbeing of young children such as nutri- tion, oral health, physical activity, active play and the environment.
In Bridgend county borough a total of 30 pre-school settings are participating in the scheme.
Kate Parry, the council’s healthy pre-school practitioner, said: “A large number of nursery staff across the county borough are doing a fantastic job in actively promoting nutritious meals and snacks, and other healthy practices to the parents of preschoolers.
“The scheme encourages the highest standards of health, promoting habits that can be continued at home.
“Staff at Cylch Meithrin Cynwyd Sant have already completed several chapters of the scheme and are making excellent progress.
“When the scheme inspectors visited them recently they were particularly impressed with the staff ’s enthusiasm for encouraging the children to start learning about the world around them and to play outdoors whenever possible.
“During their accreditation, one little boy was proudly showing the inspector around and said ‘look, we have everything’. It was lovely to hear him say this and it showed just how comfortable the children feel at the Cylch Meithrin.”
A spokeswoman for Cylch Meithrin Cynwyd Sant, in Maesteg, said: “Before joining the scheme, staff had embedded the wellbeing of all children and promoted healthy eating and lifestyle through all aspects of play and learning.
“And since joining the scheme it has given us a great opportunity to share our practice.”